The Legislature today moved a step closer to banning texting and driving statewide, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
The Senate State Affairs Committee spoke out in favor of the bill, which has already passed the Texas House.
State Sen Joan Huffman (R-Flower Mound) who chairs the committee, says it is high time that this law is passed.
"90 percent of Texans think this should be against the law," she said. "That's Republicans, that's Libertarians, that's Democrats, that's independents. It has to be for this many to support the law."
Mentioning of Libertarians was significant. When then Gov. Rick Perry vetoed a similar law in 2013, he cited what he perceived was an erosion of the freedom of a driver while in his or her vehicle.
Many lawmakers pointed out that, while many cities ban texting and use of hand held cell phones while driving, counties don't have that power, so motorists drive into and out of different laws while traveling down the highway, something one state law would avoid.
The Texas Coalition for Affordable Insurance Solutions, which represents the major auto insurance companies, was among the groups speaking out in favor of the law.
“Texas’ major auto insurers have long conducted campaigns to educate their customers about the dangers of texting while driving, and have supported legislation to ban this dangerous practice across Texas. The passage of HB 62 will be the next logical step to prevent accidents and deaths on our state’s busy roads. TCAIS is increasingly hopeful that this will be the session a statewide texting while driving ban becomes law," Director Beaman Floyd said.